


Hand Off

by Benedicthiddleston



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Depressing, Gen, Missing Scene, One-Shot, Spoilers, Star Trek Into Darkness, Tumblr, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-25 09:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/951331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benedicthiddleston/pseuds/Benedicthiddleston
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for Star Trek Into Darkness. Idea taken from a few tags on tumblr.</p><p>Spock carries Kirk's body to Bones. Spock is emotional, and Bones is professional. The death of a friend can certainly turn things upside-down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hand Off

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Whitelaws](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Whitelaws).



> The idea for this one-shot comes from a tumblr post that I reblogged with these tags: #do you ever think about spock being the one who carried jim’s lifeless body out of the radiation chamber #and then just walking to sickbay with him in his arms #and mccoy meeting him halfway to take jim’s body from him #and while bones is usually unrestrained emotion and spock tightly-reined control #you see the differences then#bones’ face shutting down and going into what jim called his ‘doctor mode’ to distance himself from this and spock unleashing anger #but not before spock uses the last bit of his control and gently hands jim over into bones’ arms #and bones choking out a soft and quiet ‘you get that son of a bitch’ to spock before he carries jim’s body silently all the way to sickbay #i just #someone take this stupid thing away from me and go write fic or something (tags via whitelaws)
> 
> (Post on my tumblr: http://hiddlespinebatch.tumblr.com/post/56392824805)
> 
> Unbetaed, AND I OWN NOTHING!!!! It also doesn't EXACTLY fit with canon - various reasons why there, but eh. It certainly could have happened one way or another.

The silence almost makes Scotty throw up. The silence from the other side of the glass. The silence that echoes after Spock’s cry of absolute _anguish_ and _anger_ at Khan.

A quiet beeping from the nearby console pulls Scotty from his own turmoil. He steps over to check it out, knowing exactly what he’s going to read. _A minute too late…_

Uhura, still standing nearby, her face a rush of tears, is hesitant to step near Spock as he leans against the glass, hands clenched in balls. For once, she is unsure how to comfort him. They all just lost their sounding board, the one who encouraged and powered forward in the face of any adversary. The one who hadn’t shown any fear to anyone – up until the last few minutes of his life. The irony was _awful_.

 _I’m sorry_. He had said it like all had been lost when Marcus had decided to destroy them all. Kirk had tried to comfort, to let them know he was the problem. And he had given his life to save them, to make sure he didn’t lose any one else. _The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few._

Scotty walks to the control panel, swallowing bile as he nods to Spock, who has turned his head for a fraction of a second to acknowledge the significance of the moment. Both know they can finally bring their Captain out of the outer core chamber, and neither say anything.

The emergency code is imputed, the fingerprint scanned, and Scotty manages not to throw up as he maneuvers the last lock stopping anyone and everything from entering the warp core without specific authorization. _Who gave Captain’s such power_ , Scotty thinks while feeling more tears in his eyes.

The tears multiple when the door slides open and Kirk’s lifeless body is caught deftly in Spock’s arms. Without a second thought, Spock is ever so gentle in closing his friend’s eyes. It is only after that those strong, willing, _broken-hearted_ arms hold on for dear life as Spock stands with their dead Captain.

Without any words, Spock knows exactly where to head. Scotty follows, with Uhura close behind. Scotty pulls out his communicator and alerts the one person everyone knows is going to break at this, this _disaster_.

“McCoy,” a gruff, strained voice answers.

“Meet us. We’re heading your way from engineering. _Jim… Jim saved us all_.”

There is no answer.

Silence once again gathers around the trio as they enter a nearby turbo lift, Spock’s face impassive. The lone tear that had fallen earlier is dry, but the streak is still seen. Uhura grips Scotty’s hand in reassurance. Of what, he is not sure.

Crew members still trying to orient themselves on deck 7 momentarily pause as the turbo lift opens and Spock steps out, every word about to be uttered stilled by the image of their First Officer carrying their unmoving Captain. It will be then that everyone will begin to pass on the word that their Captain has died saving them all. _Miracles…_

Dr. McCoy steps from Medical, his face ashen, but his demeanor wholly professional. He looks to his right and sees Spock heading for him. _It’s true. Oh God, no, it can’t be true. It just can’t_. The disbelief on his face passes quickly as he heads towards the ever-advancing Spock.

They meet in the middle, McCoy’s face a stone of complete seriousness as Spock’s face turns to anger. Anger at Khan. Anger at the cruelty of life. For one to be taken from them so soon in life. _He was only 26_.

But Spock will not turn his anger on anyone of the crew. Nor onto his deceased Captain. With one last push of control over his emotions, Spock eases the dead weight of Captain James Tiberius Kirk’s motionless body into Dr. Leonard McCoy’s waiting arms.

Professionalism in place as he takes his best friend’s body from their First Officer, Bones mutters one thing and one thing only to Spock before they part to their respected parts of the ship – the ship broken, but still flying. Out of danger. _That’s enough._ “You get that son of a bitch.”

Spock, anger fueling him, only nods as he takes off for the bridge. Uhura, who had been watching from nearby, follows him in hopes of helping to comfort him, though she still is unsure how to do that in this troublesome time. She has never seen Spock so… so _emotional_ before.

Dr. McCoy turns toward Medical without a word, holding tight to what once was his best friend. Scotty followed, feeling like he owed it to Kirk to follow through. Follow through with what… he wasn’t sure.

 _You son of a bitch, Jim. You died on me. You died and I never got to say good-bye_. It was a regret that would lay heavy on McCoy’s heart for the rest of his days, and Bones knew that without a shadow of a doubt.                            

**Author's Note:**

> Other ramblings: Uh, I can't remember what deck Medbay is on? I just BSed that part.  
> I'm going to cry because Jim's death kills me every time.
> 
> Total word count: 833


End file.
